Way of the Hunt
by Higuchimon
Summary: [au: hell's ice] Broww is the greatest huntsman that Dark World has ever seen. He can track any prey across the whole world. So he likes a challenge. And what challenge could be greater than prey that can fight back?
1. Huntsman

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit. All forms of feedback eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.  
 **Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh GX  
 **Title:** Way of the Hunt: Chapter 1: Huntsman  
 **Characters:** Broww, Huntsman of Dark World  & Hell Kaiser of Ice  
 **Word Count:** chapter: 750||story: 750  
 **Genre:** Adventure, Drama **Rated:** PG  
 **Challenge:** Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, section C, #5, two-shot with both 'chapters' being exactly 750 words; Written for the GX Non-Flash Bingo, prompt #24, brown  
 **Notes:** This takes place in the world where Ryou is the Hell Kaiser of Ice, as he was the one taken by Daitokuji  & Kagemaru, instead of Fubuki. This is set sometime after Ryou has gained his powers and before the Seven Stars attack.  
 **Summary:** Broww is the greatest huntsman that Dark World has ever seen. He can track any prey across the whole world. So he likes a challenge. And what challenge could be greater than prey that can fight back?

* * *

 _North or south?_ Broww examined all of the signs, few as those were. His prey knew he stalked the trail and would not let himself be caught easily. That would make it all the sweeter when Broww brought him to bay in the end, of course.

This was hardly the first time that he'd tracked this prey and Hell Kaiser grew cannier with each attempt. His touch left trails of ice wherever he walked, so he grew skilled in moving without touching anything with his bare hands.

But his mere presence also dropped the temperature and Broww could frequently find him by that alone. Hell Kaiser had to keep moving to stay ahead of the huntsman, so that the chilly air he left behind didn't give him away.

So far today he seemed to do well at that. There wasn't much difference between the air here and where it would be where the human walked. Broww would have to search more carefully to find what he sought.

If he moved without care, he stood a chance of obliterating any kind of trail. Broww hadn't failed once in this hunt and he had no plans to start now. So he took his time, not just looking for visible signs, but for the breath of cold air and the tension crackling that would give away the other's position.

 _South._ Yes. That was which way the other trod. On the surface it would be a fool's choice, since that way led to a rushing river that tumbled down from the mountains. But Broww had hunted these lands for years beyond counting and he knew how his target thought. Hell Kaiser could freeze at least part of the river if he chose and cross over there. The risk lay in if the ice would melt before Broww found it. If it didn't, then the trail would be clear.

So, Hell Kaiser would either move very quickly to make certain he had the most time possible for his ice bridge to melt or would find another way to cross over.

 _He might want to take cover in one of the caves and try to strike me from behind._ One of the perks of hunting someone who could think at least close to his level was that the prey could turn predator. Broww couldn't recall all the times that he'd had to dodge flying shards of ice. His left side still ached where the ice warrior had injured him once before.

He couldn't imagine everything that would go through Hell Kaiser's mind. He didn't want to try. There had to be some element of the unknown, or the hunt lost its savor. That was part of why he chose to hunt thinking opponents.

Having decided which way his prey lurked, Broww headed down the half-visible trail, his way lit only by the faint starlight and the sapphire blue of the comet. He chose each step with care, sacrificing speed in order to keep track of every sound in the area.

Perhaps that was what spared him from getting another spear of solid ice flung straight through him. He heard little more than an intake of breath, but that was enough for his instincts to grab hold. He threw himself to one side, and where he'd been now sported a long, gleaming spire perhaps as long as his arm and at least as thick around as his wrist.

Dark World's Huntsman did not have to think about his next move. He drew his bow up and fired a clean shot, tracking the slight movement that came along the ridge off to his left. He didn't doubt his aim at all; the ridge was the only place that spire could've come from.

He knew he was right when the arrow shattered against a nearly invisible wall of ice. From behind the wall there rose a dark-clad figure. Hell Kaiser said nothing at all, but simply stared down at him, challenge written across every line of his being.

Broww did not lower his bow. To do so would be to deny that challenge. He did not nock another arrow, either. Hell Kaiser's defense remained too strong. Another couple of arrows could finish it, but that would give the human time to deal another attack.

He could see the small smile on his prey's lips. Then, in silence, Hell Kaiser moved out of sight. Broww knew what that meant.

The hunt was on, each of them now hunter and prey.

 **To Be Continued**


	2. Prey

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing involved in this story unless I invented it myself. This is written for fun, not for profit. All forms of feedback eagerly accepted. Concrit is loved the most, but everything is welcome.  
 **Fandom:** Yu-Gi-Oh GX  
 **Title:** Way of the Hunt: Chapter 2: Prey  
 **Characters:** Broww, Huntsman of Dark World  & Hell Kaiser of Ice  
 **Word Count:** chapter: 750||story: 1,500  
 **Genre:** Adventure, Drama **Rated:** PG-13  
 **Challenge:** Written for the Diversity Writing Challenge, section C, #5, two-shot with both 'chapters' being exactly 750 words; Written for the GX Non-Flash Bingo, prompt #24, brown  
 **Notes:** This takes place in the world where Ryou is the Hell Kaiser of Ice, as he was the one taken by Daitokuji  & Kagemaru, instead of Fubuki. This is set sometime after Ryou has gained his powers and before the Seven Stars attack.  
 **Summary:** Broww is the greatest huntsman that Dark World has ever seen. He can track any prey across the whole world. So he likes a challenge. And what challenge could be greater than prey that can fight back?

* * *

Hell Kaiser moved with the speed of both hunter and prey. If he slowed down, if he let Broww catch wind of him by sight or sound or scent, then he would lose. It had happened before. He knew it would happen again.

But not this time, not if he could help it. He didn't know if he could. His mastery of ice and snow wasn't as firm as he would've liked. That was why he walked in Dark World in the first place: to learn from Snoww, Magician of Dark World, who manipulated ice as he manipulated his deck.

Snoww would be very upset with him if he lost against Broww again. She did not take failure very well and as her student, it was part of his task to uphold her honor.

Ryou found these days he cared less and less for honor or respect. But he still needed to learn and until he'd mastered all of the skills Snoww could teach him, he would have to obey her.

Which meant defeating Broww in this hunt any way that he could. Regrettably, neither one of them was allowed to kill the other. Brron's command forbade it.

 _Too bad. I could like killing these people._ He didn't like a single denizen of Dark World and he looked forward to the day when he could return to his own world. He'd never thought he'd miss blue skies the way that he did.

He dodged; another of Broww's arrows just barely skimmed against his forehead. A quick check told him he hadn't been cut; all to the good. Any mark he returned with would count against him. That was why he did his best to at least wound the Huntsman. The same rules held for him.

Ryou forgot how many times they'd run this course. It helped him refine his control of ice and his powers in general. He didn't know what it did for Broww, aside from giving him target practice.

Now that they'd seen one another, their tactics would change. Ryou remained hidden as much as he could; exposing himself to Broww's arrows without some kind of defense at hand would be stupidity. Ryou would claim to being many things, but stupid had never even come close to the list.

All of that passed through his mind in a single moment. Scarcely had the arrow slammed into a tree across the way before Ryou waved a hand, concentrating _just so_. Ice materialized a short distance away from him. Another tilt of his fingers and it flew directly toward Broww.

The Huntsman no more waited around for the strike than Ryou himself had. This time, however, Ryou's control improved, and his ice blade slashed into Broww's side. The thick liquid that served the monsters of Dark World for blood stained the bush the hunter stumbled into. That would count against him as well, leaving a trail for Ryou to follow.

With his free hand, Broww pulled a knife of his own out and aimed it toward Ryou. Ryou saw the move coming and returned to his cover, heading toward his opponent. This could be his best chance to end the hunt now and come as close as he was allowed to finishing off Broww. He could hear the other breathing heavily; had he injured him more than he thought?

 _It's like a duel,_ he reminded himself. _He could have a trap waiting._

The sound of his own movement, which wasn't much to him and surely would be less to Broww, did cover a few other noises. Ryou knew the risk and took it. He suspected he should've done otherwise when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder, twisting him upward to stare into Broww's eyes.

"Victory," the Dark World Hunter claimed. Ryou slammed one hand upward, concentrating.

"For who?" he asked, the blade of his newly formed ice knife resting against Broww's stomach. If he pushed farther, he'd draw more than a little blood and the hunter knew it.

They stood like that for a few moments, before Broww finally stepped aside.

"A tie, then." Not the first they'd ever had, or the last, both knew. As Ryou's skill grew, the number increased.

Neither let their guard down. The game didn't truly end until they returned to Brron's castle.

But that was the way it always was. Hunter and hunted, prey and predator. One day one of them would be able to end the other. Until then, the game continued.

 **The End**


End file.
